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Honor society facts for kids

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For other uses, see Honor society (disambiguation).
1909 Tyee - Honor Societies
"Honor Societies", illustration from the 1909 Tyee (yearbook of the University of Washington)

In the United States, an honor society is an organization that recognizes individuals who excel in various domains such as academics, leadership, and other personal achievements, not all of which are based on ranking systems. These societies acknowledge excellence among peers in diverse fields and circumstances. The Order of the Arrow, for example, is the National Honor Society of the Boy Scouts of America. While the term commonly refers to scholastic honor societies, which primarily acknowledge students who excel academically or as leaders among their peers, it also applies to other types of societies.

History

The origins of honor societies in the United States can be traced back to the establishment of Phi Beta Kappa in 1776 at the College of William and Mary, which began as a debating society and did not initially impose grade point average (GPA) restrictions for membership.

Many honor societies invite students to become members based on the scholastic rank (the top x% of a class) and/or grade point averages, either overall or for classes taken within the discipline for which the honor society provides recognition. In cases where academic achievement would not be an appropriate criterion for membership, other standards are usually required for membership (such as completion of a particular ceremony or training program). Scholastic honor societies commonly add a criterion relating to the student's character. Most honor societies are invitation-only, and membership in an honor society might be considered exclusive, i.e., a member of such an organization cannot join other honor societies representing the same field.

Many honor societies are referred to by their membership or by non-members as fraternities and sororities. Honor societies exist at the high school, collegiate/university, postgraduate, and professional levels, although university honor societies are by far the most prevalent. In the United States, the oldest academic society, Phi Beta Kappa, was founded as a social and literary fraternity in 1776. Other honor societies were established a century later, including Tau Beta Pi for engineering (1885), Sigma Xi for scientific research (1886), and Phi Kappa Phi for all disciplines (1897). Mortar Board was established in 1918 and was the first national honor society for women who were college seniors.

During the era of honor society expansion in the early 20th century, these organizations were generally supportive of cultural changes that challenged racism, classism, and sexism. Like other aspects of academia, honor society integration and diversity grew with the expansion of an increasingly multicultural and co-educational student body. There were some holdouts, but academia in general, and its honor societies as a reflection, were on the vanguard of change. Several Jewish-only organizations merged into (or absorbed) formerly Christian-exclusive societies. Title IX forced most single-sex societies to admit women, though many had already opted to embrace this change. Racial barriers, where they existed, were challenged and retired, with any holdouts subject to significant criticism. The presence of these holdovers and the demise of those that exhibited overt racism offer an opportunity for a critical reassessment of the criteria and culture within honor societies.

While changes sparked from within these societies were prevalent between the massive influx of students after World War II and before and after the adoption of Title IX, additionally, the demand for recognition of racially diverse scholars spurred the 2005 founding of the Bouchet Graduate Honor Society by Yale University and Howard University. Rather than adopting the traditional tapping to identify top students from a given academic class based on merit, a distinct aspect of this society's nomination process is its focus on self-nominations. A Ph.D. or Ph.D. track is required, among other qualifications. Modern honor societies are increasingly focused on creating supportive environments that promote the academic and personal development of all scholars, especially those from traditionally underrepresented groups. This evolution reflects a broader movement within academic institutions towards a more equitable and comprehensive recognition of student excellence.

Regalia

Academic robes and regalia identifying by color the degree, school, and other distinctions, are controlled under rules of a voluntary Intercollegiate Code. In addition, various colored devices such as stoles, scarves, cords, tassels, and medallions are used to indicate membership in a student's honor society. Of these, cords and mortarboard tassels are most often used to indicate membership. Most institutions allow honor cords, tassels, and/or medallions for honor society members. Stoles are less common, but they are available for a few honor societies. Virtually all, if not all honor societies have chosen such colors and may sell these items of accessory regalia as a service or fundraiser.

Umbrella organizations

The Honor Society Caucus and Association of College Honor Societies (ACHS) are two voluntary associations for national collegiate and post-graduate honor societies. ACHS formed in 1925 to establish and maintain desirable standards for honor societies. Later, four prestigious founding members of ACHS established the Honor Society Caucus, expressing that the ACHS had diluted and lost sight of the mission of its founding members. While ACHS membership is a certification that the member societies meet these standards, not all legitimate honor societies apply for membership in ACHS.

Scholastic honor societies

Notable national and international honor societies based in or at schools include the following:

General collegiate scholastic honor societies

These societies are open to all academic disciplines, though they may have other affinity requirements.

  • Alpha Chi, ΑΧ (all academic fields), colors:      Emerald green and      Sapphire blue
  • Alpha Kappa Mu, ΑΚΜ (all academic fields)
  • Alpha Lambda Delta, ΑΛΔ (freshman scholarship)
  • Alpha Sigma Lambda, ΑΣΛ (non-traditional students), colors:      Burgundy and      Gold
  • Alpha Sigma Nu, ΑΣΝ (Scholarship, Loyalty and Service at Jesuit institutions of higher education), colors:      Maroon and      Gold
  • Bouchet Graduate Honor Society (Doctoral, Post-Doctoral, Faculty)
  • Chi Alpha Sigma, ΧΑΣ (college student-athletes)
  • Delta Alpha Pi, ΔΑΠ (students with disabilities)
  • Delta Epsilon Sigma, ΔΕΣ (all academic fields at traditionally Catholic colleges and universities)
  • Delta Epsilon Tau, ΔΕΤ (Distance Education Accrediting Commission institutions)
  • Epsilon Tau Pi, ΕΤΠ (General scholarship, Eagle Scouts)
  • Golden Key International Honour Society (academics), colors:      Blue and      Gold
  • Mortar Board (Scholars chosen for Leadership united to Serve)
  • National Society of Collegiate Scholars, NSCS (scholarship/leadership/service), colors:      Purple and      Gold
  • Phi Eta Sigma, ΦΗΣ (freshman scholarship)
  • Phi Kappa Phi, ΦΚΦ (all academic fields)
  • Phi Sigma Pi, ΦΣΠ (all academic fields), colors:      Purple and      Gold
  • Phi Tau Phi, ΦΤΦ (all academic fields), colors:      Blue and      Gold
  • Tau Sigma, ΤΣ (transfer students)
  • Lambda Sigma, ΛΣ (student leadership, scholarship, and service), colors:      Blue and      Gold
  • Order of Omega (fraternities and sororities), colors:      Blue and      Gold
  • Sigma Alpha Lambda, ΣΑΛ (all academic fields)

Leadership

These societies recognize leadership, with a scholarship component; multi-disciplinary.

  • Mortar Board (leadership), colors:      Gold and      Silver
  • National Residence Hall Honorary, NRHH (Residence hall leadership/service)
  • Omicron Delta Kappa, ΟΔΚ (leadership and academic; exceptional sophomores, but primarily juniors, seniors, graduate students, alumni, faculty and staff, honorary)
  • Sigma Alpha Lambda, ΣΑΛ (leadership)

Military

These are collegiate-based honor societies for students in the armed forces. Other non-collegiate honor societies serve military branches and are often listed as professional fraternities.

Liberal arts

These societies are open to the traditional liberal arts disciplines and may be department-specific. Some are grouped by discipline subheading.

Business

  • Alpha Iota Delta, ΑΙΔ (decision sciences)
  • Alpha Mu Alpha, ΑΜΑ (marketing), color:      Red
  • Beta Alpha Psi, ΒΑΨ (accounting and finance)
  • Beta Gamma Sigma, ΒΓΣ (AACSB accredited business programs), colors:      Gold and      Yale Blue
  • Delta Mu Delta, ΔΜΔ (ACBSP accredited business programs)
  • Eta Sigma Delta, ΗΣΔ (International Hospitality Management Honor Society, ICHRIE)
  • Mu Kappa Tau, ΜΚΤ (marketing), colors:      Blue and      Gold
  • Nu Lambda Mu, ΝΛΜ (nonprofit management)
  • Omega Rho, ΩΡ (operations research, management science)
  • Omicron Delta Epsilon, ΟΔΕ (economics), colors:      Blue and      Gold
  • Sigma Beta Delta, ΣΒΔ (business, management and administration)
  • Sigma Nu Tau, ΣΝΤ (entrepreneurship)

Education

  • Kappa Delta Pi, ΚΔΠ (education), colors:      Jade Green and      Violet
  • Pi Lambda Theta, ΠΛΘ (education), colors:      Blue and      Gold
  • Pi Omega Pi, ΠΩΠ (business education)
  • Phi Beta Delta, ΦΒΔ (international education)
  • Eta Sigma Gamma, ΗΣΓ (health education)

Fine arts

  • Alpha Psi Omega, ΑΨΩ (theatre), colors:      Blue and      Gold
  • Chi Tau Epsilon, ΧΤΕ (dance)
  • Delta Phi Delta, ΔΦΔ (art), colors:      Red and      Bright blue
  • Kappa Pi, ΚΠ (art)
  • Kappa Kappa Psi, ΚΚΨ (music - band), colors:      Blue and      Gold
  • Mu Beta Psi, ΜΒΨ (music)
  • Pi Kappa Lambda, ΠΚΛ (music)
  • Pi Nu Epsilon, ΠΝΕ (music)
  • Tau Beta Sigma, ΤΒΣ (music - band), colors:      Blue and      Gold
  • Theta Alpha Phi, ΘΑΦ (theatre)

Journalism and communications

  • Kappa Tau Alpha, ΚΤΑ (journalism/mass communication), colors:      Light blue and      Gold
  • Lambda Pi Eta, ΛΠΗ (communication)
  • Society for Collegiate Journalists, (SCJ) (journalism)

Languages

  • Alpha Mu Gamma, ΑΜΓ (foreign languages), color:      Gold
  • Delta Phi Alpha, ΔΦΑ - (German), colors:      Black,      Red and      Gold
  • Pi Delta Phi, ΠΔΦ (French), colors:      Blue,      White and      Red
  • Sigma Delta Pi, ΣΔΠ (Spanish and Portuguese), colors:      Red and      Gold
  • Phi Sigma Iota, ΦΣΙ (modern foreign languages, Classics, linguistics, philology, comparative literature, bilingual education, second language acquisition), colors:      Purple and      White

Law

  • The Order of Barristers (law)
  • Order of the Coif (law)
  • Phi Delta Phi, ΦΔΦ, (law), colors:      Garnet and      Pearl blue
  • Alpha Phi Sigma, ΑΦΣ, (Criminal Justice, law)
  • Lambda Epsilon Chi, ΛΕΧ, (Paralegal)

Sciences

These societies are open to students in the STEM disciplines and may be department-specific. Some are grouped by discipline subheader.

Agriculture

  • Delta Tau Alpha, ΔΤΑ, (Honor Society of Agriculture)
  • Gamma Sigma Delta, ΓΣΔ, (Honor Society of Agriculture) colors:      Sand and      Forest Green
  • Pi Alpha Xi, ΠΑΞ (horticulture), colors:      Nile green and      Cerulean blue
  • Xi Sigma Pi, ΞΣΠ (forestry), colors:      Green and      Gray

Architecture

Engineering

Within the larger group of STEM disciplines, these societies serve engineering disciplines.

Health sciences

This section includes all healthcare-related fields, including veterinary science.

  • Alpha Epsilon Delta, ΑΕΔ (pre-medical), colors:     Red and      Violet
  • Alpha Eta, ΑΗ (allied health professions)
  • Alpha Omega Alpha, ΑΩΑ (medical students and physicians),      Forest Green,      Gold and      White
  • Beta Sigma Kappa, ΒΣΚ (Optometry)
  • Delta Omega, ΔΩ (public health)
  • Iota Tau Alpha, ΙΤΑ (Athletic Training)
  • Nu Rho Psi, ΝΡΨ (Neuroscience)
  • Omicron Kappa Upsilon, ΟΚΥ (Dentistry)
  • Phi Zeta, ΦΖ (veterinary medicine)
  • Pi Delta, ΠΔ (podiatry)
  • Pi Theta Epsilon, ΠΘΕ (occupational therapy)
  • Rho Chi, ΡΧ (pharmacy), colors:      Purple and      White
  • Sigma Theta Tau, ΣΘΤ (nursing), colors:      Orchid and      White
  • Sigma Phi Alpha, ΣΦΑ (dental hygiene)
  • Sigma Phi Omega, ΣΦΩ, (Gerontology)
  • Sigma Sigma Phi, ΣΣΦ (osteopathic medicine) or (medicine)
  • Tau Upsilon Alpha, ΤΥΑ (human services)
  • Upsilon Phi Delta, ΥΦΔ (health administration)

Information technology

Mathematics

Local honor societies

Some universities have their own independent, open honor societies, which are not affiliated with any national or international organization. Such organizations typically recognize students who have succeeded academically irrespective of their field of study. These include:

Certificate, vocational, technical, and workforce education

  • Alpha Beta Kappa, ΑΒΚ
  • National Technical Honor Society

Two-year colleges and community colleges

  • Alpha Beta Gamma, ΑΒΓ (business at two-year colleges)
  • Alpha Gamma Sigma, ΑΓΣ (California community colleges)
  • Delta Psi Omega, ΔΨΩ (theatre), colors:      Blue and      Gold
  • Epsilon Phi Delta, ΕΦΔ (German at two-year colleges)
  • Kappa Beta Delta, ΚΒΔ (business at Community Colleges)
  • Mu Alpha Theta, ΜΑΘ (mathematics, high school and two-year colleges), colors:      Blue and      Gold
  • Phi Rho Pi, ΦΡΠ (forensics at two-year colleges)
  • Phi Theta Kappa, ΦΘΚ (All academic fields at community and junior colleges), colors:      Blue and      Gold
  • Psi Beta, ΨΒ (psychology at two-year colleges), colors:      Blue and      Gold
  • Sigma Kappa Delta, ΣΚΔ (English at community and junior colleges)
  • Sigma Zeta, ΣΖ (natural sciences/mathematics/computer science - Associate membership available for community and junior colleges), colors:      Blue and      Gold
  • La Sociedad Honoraria de la Lengua Española (Spanish at two-year colleges)

Secondary school societies

Commonly referred to as high school societies.

General

  • California Scholarship Federation, colors:      Blue and      Gold
  • Cum Laude Society, colors:      Blue and      Gold
  • National Beta Club
  • National Honor Society (high school), colors:      Blue and      Gold
  • National Junior Honor Society (middle school), colors:      Blue and      Gold

Subject-specific

  • Computer Science Honor Society (computer science)
  • German National Honor Society-Delta Epsilon Phi (Deutsche Ehrenverbindung) (German)
  • International Thespian Society (theatre), colors:      Blue and      Gold
  • Mu Alpha Theta, ΜΑΘ (mathematics), colors:      Blue and      Gold
  • National Art Honor Society (visual arts)
  • National English Honor Society (English)
  • National Honor Society for Dance Arts (dance)
  • National Junior Classical League (Latin and Greek)
  • National Speech and Debate Association (public speaking), colors:      Red and      Silver
  • National Technical Honor Society (vocational education)
  • Quill and Scroll (journalism), colors:      Blue and      Gold
  • Rho Kappa, ΡΚ (social studies)
  • Science National Honor Society (science)
  • Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica (Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica) (Spanish and Portuguese)
  • Société Honoraire de Français (French)
  • Technology Student Association (STEM), colors:      Red      blue      White
  • Tri-M Music Honor Society, MMM (music), colors:      Pink

Non-scholastic honor societies

Boy Scouts

  • Order of the Arrow, National BSA Honor Society
  • Tribe of Mic-O-Say, Heart of America Council and Pony Express Council
  • Firecrafter, Crossroads of America Council

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Sociedad de honor para niños

  • Professional fraternities and sororities
  • Association of College Honor Societies (ACHS)
  • Honor Society Caucus
  • Honor Cords
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